A life stolen for a war unclaimed

"My liege?" Sombra asked as they walked in the palace the rest of the phantoms having been dismissed Spike sitting on Damocles's back. "Why do you let the Dragon Whelp ride your back?"

"Hey this Whelp has a name...It's Spike. And I'm not a whelp!" Spike chastised.

"Because he needs male guidance and he sees me like an older brother."

"Well you always say you want my help with something whenever Twilight was busy with something else she didnt want my help, plus you have taught me a lot of things. Like how to get stronger." Spike said happily.

"Oh, And how has he done that young Drake?" Sombra Inquired.

"Well he has been having me exercise regularly as well as practice using my claws and keeping them nice and sharp, Increasing my lung strength for my fire breath with the training the rest of the phantoms have been going through."

"Now if Only I could break you of a few more terrible pony habits you could really grow into your own." Damocles said happily. This caught the eyes of not only his companions but several of the guards. "Come let us take a walk outside Sombra, Spike since you know this area as the 'Brave and Glorious' being you are, why don't you show us around?"

"OH Yeah they fixed up a whole lot of stuff and the public even made something for you." Spike said as he jumped off and began to lead the two Stallions out of the Castle. "Hey Damos... Can... Can I ask you some questions?"

"Ignoring the opportunity for a dad joke, Go ahead Spike."

"Why does it seem like you don't like ponies very much." Spike asked softly. Sombra Raised an eyebrow as he eyed Damocles for his response.

"Spike... its not that I don't like Ponies very Much, its that I don't like a lot of what they do. Especially to creatures like you. They are xenophobic and ostracize any who don't follow their way of life. Even if they are getting help from them."

"I guess that makes some sense, but then how come you always get upset when you see me eating hayfries and other pony food?"

"You what?" Sombra asked incredulously.

"Because that's why." Damocles said gesturing with his wing as they finally left the Building Damocles taking a brief moment to bow towards the Heart before continuing. The Crystal Ponies on the street all stopped an waved hellos and good afternoons towards spike and Damocles before realizing Sombra was there and quickly running off.

"What It bothers you I eat pony food?"

"I'll Repeat myself again for the sake of being heard here, You What?!" Sombra scowled.

"Sombra, he was raised by the purple librarian Alicorn for all his life, except when he was raised by Celestia. His primary diet consists of at least, Thankfully, gems and Pony foods."

"But He is a Dragon! His very species is to represent Power? Why the herbivorous nature."

"Exactly my issue." Damocles commented.

"Ok now i'm lost, whats this about?" Spike said coming to a stop to turn around.

"And it makes it worse when you hear that he actually won the Gauntlet of Fire and handed off the Blood Stone Scepter to the Daughter of the previous Dragon Lord."

"Atleast he preserved a Suitable mate for himself." Sombra's comment was met with a look of confusion and slow shaking head. "Spike... Where you or where you not in a position of true power and governing?"

"I was?"

"And did you hand off the position to the Current Dragon Lord as a promise to be her Mate or for lack of better term for you both to be wed?"

"What? No! Ember is only friend. I just felt she was more qualified for the position than I, and I didn't want to leave my home." Sombra's Jaw Dropped as they continued walking. "Why would I want to Date Ember, I already have my eyes set on another."

"Oh thank the Shades." Sombra breathed in relief.

"Don't get too happy yet, Sombra... in my honest opinion it's terrible." Damocles said as he paid for a small drink.

"What atleast its not a pony, right?" Spike blushed and scrunched his face rubbing his arm slightly. "Oh dear god its a pony... At least its an alicorn?" He said trying to smile hopefully. Only to frown when Spike turned his head away from Him and Damocles shaking his head.

"The prissy white unicorn with the violet blue mane? Cutie Mark of gems? Her... the Element of Generosity. Miss Rarity Belle." Sombra facehooved at the audacity of it all.

"Damocles! You promised not to tell Any Pony." Spike cried.

"Spike... I promised I wouldn't tell any body. Sombra doesn't count as he is a Shade, Shades don't always have corporeal bodies. Loophole, learn them, love them, ram rod your opponents with them." Damocles said holding up a hoof.

"Like you did with the Princesses this morning." Sombra smiled and hoof bumped Damocles.

"Ugh... Ok yes I like a pony whats wrong with that." Spike said defiantly.

"Do you want this or me?" Damocles asked Sombra.

"Please sir, he is your, Ahem, little brother, Your conversation I shall simply add input when I can." Sombra said Damocles gave a wry smile at that.

"Cop out." Damocles said as they found a space in a park to sit down and talk. "Ok Spike listen carefully to what I am about to say, I'm about to drop untold knowledge into your head about dragons. Enough to make realize many things, question almost everything and enough to make you think I'm insane. So first, When you Think of Dragons what are the first words you think of?"

"Jerks and bullies outside of the occasional few." Spike said without missing a beat. Sombra Groaned as he face hooved for the second time today. Damocles just breathed Deep, sitting on his haunches and putting his fore hooves together in front of him.

"Boy, listen up. These are the only words that should cross your mind when you hear Dragons. Strong, Ancient, Wise, And most of all Powerful. A true Dragon is one that has lived for years, one that has survived the test of time and stood strong with use of his cunning wit and prowess to live that long. In a world like this it bothers me that the only reason they are not the Apex Creature is because of the Alicorns." Damocles explained.

"Aptly said my liege, an addendum to that young drake is Ferocity, as well as Honor." Sombra added.

"Okay I think I follow what your saying but The only dragon that sounds remotely like what your describing is the previous Dragon lord Torch." Spike commented.

"Torch became a dragon lord?" Blinked Sombra. "And we are not at war with dragons? hmm he must have softened after settling down with a mate."

"He did... But yes Torch is a prime example. Spike you know dragons used to live where I'm from right?"

"Wait Really?! What are they like?" Spike asked excitedly.

"Mighty beings capable of Rampaging through a kingdom and Razing it to the ground in a single day." Damocles said a Saddened expression appearing on Spikes face. "Very temperamental beings that respect knowledge, each having a very definitive version of their own code of honor, but with great respect for those that can earn it. They desired Any and all Treasures of the world. If it was deemed Valuable it was coveted by a dragon. But in times of darkness the Dragons were more often than not the first to call to arms and approach us to inform of what was coming. With a single wing beat they could level a small forest yet were so gentle they could be found laying in a forest with all the animals nestled against them. Each with their own unique personalities and Vices. And their own form of breath attacks."

"What you mean fire?"

"Fire is the most common yes, but no, some would use lightning, others would acid, some even breathed Ice. Others use pressurized water strong enough to punch a whole through stone and steel. There used to be millions of them."

"Used to be?"

"And that is were our dark twists begins my friend. As I said before these dragons were mighty and powerful, my people at this time had no magic, and were very weak to the world. To die old was to make it to 25 years." Spikes eyes were wide with shock. "And we who were so fearful, and so very frail and fragile. Grew to fear these creatures too much, and so began the Wild Hunt. Using science and the parts of previously slain monsters we sent forth our warriors young and old, male and female to slay all monsters and Dragons. Heh this actually reminds me of a song for a certain tribe that went missing at the end of the that age." Beginning to stomp hooves against the table of the park they were sitting at.

"I be killing monsters All day No problem. They don't wanna bite on the Blade I'm too awesome! Jogging through the jungle, Jumping around all these tall trees I'm a Juke a Giant. Man, I'm Jacked up on raw meat!

"Welcome to the New World. Gonna be exhausting, we out there, our guild we gotta study the elders falling. We're dual wielding blades, Enemy think we lost them. But we got scout flies Tracking down the target, Like that!" Damocles sang Clapping his hoofs together. Sombra smiled as he powered his horn make an illusion for the gathering crowd to change the scenery into a savage wilderness before singing.

"Setting out a Man will test his worth. Another beast Emerges from the Earth!" In the middle of calm desert a Dragon with powerful front ward facing horns Burrowed out of the Sand in an explosive way Making the spectators Scream in surprise as it destroyed one of the few stone pillars. A group of four armored ponies in armor unlike any of them had scene jumped towards the dragons with Weapons Drawn. Duel Blades, a Lance, a Giant Sword, and Giant Bow with arrows. Swinging down upon it. The dragon in response Screaming and thrashing itself as it quickly fought back near killing them. In a single blow. "And He tries! And he cries out to the gods to make him strong!" The earth pony with the sword digging the blade into the sand to keep from flying too far away before wrenching it free as the Pegasus with arrows jumped from pillar using his wings to pull the bow taught and launching the arrows that exploded on contact. The Unicorn Charging at the dragon as it slammed its boulder axe like tail against him sending him into a stone pillar cracking and indenting it blood coming from the mouth of the pony. While the last Pegasus with the daggers moved like a windmill of blades down its back from head to tail tearing scales off. "He's Gotta be Strong. He's gotta be Strong, He's gotta be strong! And He prays, For the power and the swiftness of his blade!" Sombra sang as the next earth pony wielding a weapon similar to what Damocles used against him in their fight flew in on a rope tied to a much smaller dragons feet. "Hottens up his mind, And numbs the pain. To the bending of his will. Its the glory of the kill." The last words ended with the Earth pony swung his blade to meet the tail of Dragons cutting it off in a spray of blood. Spike wide eyed and afraid grabbed his tail in response. Damocles picked it up as the scene changed to another group fighting a leviathan that was threatening to kill another dragon.

"Should I rock the long sword? or go and grab the gun lance. Either way these giant freaks are going down with with one Glance." Using the overly long Neighpanese looking sword the cut one of the fins of the sea monster making it release the Red dragon giving it a chance to swim away. While the Lance that had a whole above the tip slammed into the chest of the beast And with a movement of the hoof a Electric explosion surged through beast coming from the barrel. "We don't play games, Me and my hunting crew One Slice, Two Slice, Three Slice" The next strike made by one who had an axe that seemed burn the very waters around it as slashed across the neck of the thrashing Monster before the ponies all pushed away from it.

"Down He goes!" Called out the crowd. As the scene changed to show a giant electrified squirrel swinging its spiked up tail at a lone Stallion.

"Epic! Curving around these creatures so fast it'll make your head spin." The next showed a giant snake lizard with lighting sparking from its fangs. "Strategy is planned to the Tee it'll be perfected." A giant mass of bones rolling towards another pony who readied their hammer Who swung it low causing the the mass of bones to splinter and shatter as it bounced over the pony revealing the monster beneath. "Running for the exit, when you see me coming, Respect it." The scene changed once more to another pony about as large as Big Mac who had a weapon similar to the one that Damocles made from his wings metal during his fight against Blue Blood, with a belt of arrows that fed into firing rapidly into a giant furry fire breathing T-rex like creature. "Tracking down Monsters," The scene changed to another group of hunters in the forest following a trail of claw marks from the bushes Wanna hear the final roar. When i see a Dinosaur Imma make a Dino Sore!" A smaller pony swinging a large hammer into the head of another t-rex hitting it on the nose before the dinosaur stumbled and fell on its side. "Ask my Grand dad Bon-a-fide commander, they'll be under arrest and I aint talking about Miranda! Now stand up!" A lone Pegasus challenged a Massive Heavily Spiked Dark purple dragon Spikes were even on its wings as the two clashed and duel one waiting for the other to get up in stead of ever dealing a final blow. Sombra picked up the song again.

"Setting out a Man will test his worth." The Spiked Dragon Flew high before diving into what seemed like molten magma, The Stallion with the glaive watched ground warily before using the staff to jump up and away from the ground where the Dragon Burst through covered in Lava The spikes that had been cut off Fully regrown. "Another beast emerges from the Earth!" The scene changed again to one of a single stallion holding the obviously dead mare amidst a storm of swirling winds and Metal shrapnel twisting around them as he cries out. "And he tries, and he cries out to the gods, To make him strong!" Gripping her sword and mustering his strength. "He's gotta be Strong." Lifting it up as the storm raged more the metal scales cutting through his armor like a hot knife through butter. "He's gotta be strong." Before he jumped up towards sky towards the location of a massive 4 winged dragon that roared in response flapping hard to sent a gust of wind with more scales at him. As Pushed against it swinging the giant sword down onto the beast. "He's gotta be Strong!" The scene changed again to fire breathing dragon chasing a pony down a landslide towards a cliff. "He Prays!" Jumping off the cliff and turning towards the dragon chasing him launching a harpoon like hook attached to a rope at the Dragon catching it in the thigh to avoid falling to his death as the dragon flies away from the landslide before doing a flip mid air whipping the Unicorn upwards. "For the power and the swiftness of his blades!" In response he whipped out his hooves as two blades form with him diving towards the dragon and the dragon towards him. "Hotten's up his mind, and numbs the pain!" The dragon biting down on the pony's hoof as he stabbed the other one into a break in the scales. "To the bending of his will, Its the glory of the kill!" The two started their descent back into the landslides cliff. The song ending as well as the illusion as the repeating lyrics go to a final battle a younger pony looking similar to the one that fought the spiked dragon fighting against a dragon that seemed more bones than dragon about to be killed as the spike dragon crashed into it. Pony and Dragon fighting side by side until the Bone monstrosity was slain the beating heart stabbed through by one of the spikes of the other Held by the pony. The Spiked dragon was on its side severely wounded, as the pony approached it. The dragon eyeing him closed its eyes before nodding slightly towards the pony. The pony in turn cried as he pushed the same spike into the chest of the spiked dragon.

"Spike... my people became the apex Predators of our home by learning how to kill everything else. But we didn't exterminate everything. As always life finds away, The dragons of then are still around. just in different form. Some have learned to hide in plain sight surrounded by the very beings that hunt them. The fight between the old man and the spiked dragon was a fight that happened once a month for a full year. Both refusing to kill one another. The fight at the end was the grand child ending the fight for them as that bone dragon. Had killed his grandfather. The spiked Dragon recognized the blood and held a promise kept. I want to think you are related to the same species as that dragon. as that was essentially the most deadly of all the dragons. Capable of regenerating near everything as long as it ate enough and had the strength to return to it home. But your growth im sure is stunted. You are atleast 20 years of age. A baby by dragon standards but even at this age babies are learning to stretch their wings. Dragons Are omnivorous."

"W-what?" Spike said confused by everything.

"You have the potential to become the strongest dragon in history. But you aren't eating healthily. You still have you baby fat." Sombra said smoothly. "I have had to defend against dragons wanting our home for food. That was how I moved my way up through the ranks of nobility. I've fought dragons younger than you drake. that were easily more destructive but nonetheless coherent."

"I mean... its true we don't have a knowledge on alot of dragons but what does my diet have to deal with all that?" Spike asked confused.

"We were showing you what you could become how powerful. The difference is most of those were ones that lost themselves in their madness. Something i'm told you were able to fight back against. If you want Spike I'm willing to help you learn how to be a true Dragon. You have your Code of Honor as did most. You have no hoard, which is not necessary because you value knowledge and," Damocles scowled as he spoke. "Friendship and the like over anything else. But you must also realize regardless of what route you choose. In this world of peace and happiness, with the odd ball of disaster."

"Like me for example." Sombra interrupted raising his hoof.

"You can eventually grow to be as eternal as Celestia, Luna, Cadance, and Twilight. A full life for a pony can seem like the blink of an eye to you eventually. Now I'm not saying don't live for today, please do, make as many memories as you desire. But recognize a loss cause that would do more to harm you and hurt you than anything else."

"I-is that why you keep throwing away those letters from the nobles asking to court you? Because of the same reason? Or is like Queen Crystal heart?" Starlight asked as she approached having seen the entire thing. Flashing a smile towards Starlight as spike looked over at her.

"No... I do that to spare the pain of anyone else. I offer to teach you what is necessary Spike but in all honesty. Starlight, Spike listen thank you for spending time around me but you shouldn't, I can guarantee I'm the worst monster this world will ever see." Damocles said as he looked up wistfully at the blue sky laughing slightly to himself. Sombra looked forlorn at Damocles as Starlight chuckled softly and awkwardly.

"I don't believe that Damocles... You go out of your way to help every pony whenever you can. You're a good Pony... And... I'll think about what you offer me." Spike said. "But we have 2 more stops before we head back to the castle and Its almost time to go back for dinner." Spike said as he led them.

"This first is a tribute to me after I got the crystal heart to Princess Cadance the first time." Sombra rolled his eyes grumbling remembering his first defeat until he saw the large crystal Statue of Spike wide eyes and bright smile holding the crystal heart in a single Claw. His left eye started to twitch as Damocles snickered. "This next one is a tribute to you though Damocles." They walked to a freshly finished carving near Spike's statue one that Sombra in it Climbing upwards on crystals with Damocles Descending With his Glaive towards Sombra wings spread. As if someone took a picture of the scene mid fight and carved it out of onyx, ruby, sapphire and opal. Ruby in the eyes of Sombra and for his horn. Sapphire in the eyes of Damocles. His body forged from opal with an onyx heart. While Sombra was made mostly of Onyx. A plaque centered before it. 'In Honor of The Shadow of Hope, he who devoured our fears using the dark to fight against The Corrupted King of Heart.'